Monday, August 29, 2011

Goodness, it's been a while, but I've been quilting feverishly! I finished Charlie's quilt in time for his 18th birthday, and he was thrilled. I have to admit, I was pretty proud of it myself. He uses it all the time, and took it off to college with him last week. I hope it reminds him of home, and how much I love him.

Next I made a not very traditional quilt for Roy for Father's Day. It's all white, blacks and browns (not orange which the camera makes it look like), and is quilted in an overall clamshell motif. He likes it, and I made it big enough for us both to snuggle under. (Gigggle!)

After that, I finished up the quilt I used as a test for Charlie's Lone Star, putting prairie points on the outer edge, and doing some fun free motion quilting all around the starbursts in the corners. I hated it when I pieced just the center star - too busy, but once I finished the whole thing out, I really like it. I'm giving it to my niece Tiffany when her baby is born in September.

My latest is still in progress, but I just love it. It was designed by Kathleen Whiting for a Quilt Design Star contest in McCall's Quilting magazine and won first prize by readers votes. She calls it "It's for the Birds". I know cardinals mate for life, and I loved the design the minute I saw it, so I'm making my version of it for my niece Megan and her fiance Sam Barcelona for their wedding. (I thought I'd try a double wedding ring, but that is TOOOO HARD! I like the symbolism of this design anyway. Now, if I can just get the quilting done by Sept. 17!!!

And finally, I bit the bullet and entered two quilts in the Boone County Fair this year. I entered Nate's Warm Stars and the Yellow one above which I call Kid's Kaleidiscope. Neither won any prizes, but it was something I've wanted to do since I went to my first Boone County Fair and saw quilts with ribbons on them. I finally did it - 45 years later!